The Indian Army has named Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar as the new Indian Army Vice Chief, while the current officer holding the position, Lt Gen BS Raju, has been shifted to South Western Army Command as Army Commander.
The Lt General has also served as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (strategy) and has been part of various important assignments, including the White Knight Corps in Jammu and Kashmir.
Here we look at the other positions that the Lt General has served in and his varied contributions while being a part of the Indian Army.
Who is MV Suchindra Kumar?
The General Officer, Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar, is a distinguished alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He has taken up several prestigious courses, including the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, the Higher Command Course in Mhow, and the National Defence College in New Delhi, as per details on the Indian Army’s website.
In addition to these courses, Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar has also participated in specialized training programs such as 'Cooperative Security in South Asia' in Sri Lanka and the 'United Nations Senior Mission Leaders Course' in Egypt. The General Officer's extensive military experience and expertise are reflected in his published works, which have appeared in numerous professional journals.
Other positions that Lt General has served in
Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar was commissioned into 1 ASSAM REGIMENT in June 1985 and has had an illustrious career in the Indian Army. He has held various command positions, including commanding 59 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion (ASSAM), an Infantry Brigade, and an Infantry Division on the Line of Control. He has also commanded the White Knight Corps, which is a highly active corps of the Indian Army.
Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar has also served important staff appointments, including Additional Director General Military Intelligence and Director General Military Intelligence at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army). He also assumed the role of the Colonel of the Regiment of Assam Regiment and Arunachal Scouts on March 1, 2021, as per details on the Indian Army’s website.
His stint at the White Knight Corps
The White Knight Corps is a highly active corps of the Indian Army that has been entrusted with the crucial responsibility of guarding the strategic and sensitive Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. The Corps is responsible for the protection of the LoC from Akhnoor in Jammu district to Poonch, which is located south of the Pir Panjal range.
Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar took over command of the White Knight Corps in October 2020 amidst high tensions during the Sino-India stand-off in eastern Ladakh. On assuming command of the White Knight Corps, Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar said that it was an honour to command such an elite formation with a rich history of J&K.
He exhorted all ranks to continue working with utmost zeal and enthusiasm and always remain combat ready to thwart the nefarious designs of India’s adversaries and inimical forces while being in complete synergy with civil administration and paramilitary forces, he said as he assumed the office, as per PTI.
During his command, he visited Chinar Corps in Srinagar and interacted with Lt Gen BS Raju. They both discussed ways to coordinate the Army's efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, as per an ANI report. Interestingly, both Lt Gen Kumar and Lt Gen Raju are alumni of Sainik School Bijapur.
